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Voussoir

ca. 1180-1185 (made)
Artist/Maker
Unknown
Place of origin
England (made)

This is a voussoir among three(A.19-1916, A.20-1916, A.21-1916), from the West doorway of the Temple Church (Saint Mary the Virgin), London, England. The present doorway at the Temple Church appears to be a Victorian replacement, or copy, of the Romanesque originals, of which this voussoir is one.

The original position of this voussoir is clear: this occupied a position on the outermost, seventh order of the doorway.

Object details

Categories
Architectural Fittings
Sculpture
Object type
voussoir
Materials and techniques
Carved Caen stone
Caen Stone
Carving
Brief description
Voussoir from the West Doorway of the Temple Church (Saint Mary the Virgin) in London, carved limestone (Caen stone), England, ca. 1180-85
Physical description
A hollow moulding decorated with a central bunch of berried with pierced, scrolling foliage, this voussoir is in reasonable condition.
Dimensions
  • Height: 14.8cm
  • Width: 28.5cm
  • Depth: 23.7cm
Measured for the Medieval and Renaissance Galleries
Credit line
Given by the Architectural Association
Object history
This Caen stone (a form of limestone) voussoir was originally part of an arch of a window or doorway in the west doorway of the Temple Church (St. Mary the Virgin) in London. The capital is decorated with a central bunch of berries and pierced, scrolling foliage. The present doorway at the Temple Church appears to be a Victorian replacement, or copy, of the Romanesque originals, of which the present piece is one, that are now in the V&A.

The Temple Church was consecrated on the 10th February 1185, but the church suffered clumbsy restorations in recent times, as well as 'improvements' and repairs throughout its history, and finally pollution today, not to mention the air-raids by the Luftwaffe.
Historical context
A voussoir is a wedge-shaped stone or brick used to form an arch of the sort commonly seen in medieval churches.
Subject depicted
Leaf (Plant Material)
Summary
This is a voussoir among three(A.19-1916, A.20-1916, A.21-1916), from the West doorway of the Temple Church (Saint Mary the Virgin), London, England. The present doorway at the Temple Church appears to be a Victorian replacement, or copy, of the Romanesque originals, of which this voussoir is one.

The original position of this voussoir is clear: this occupied a position on the outermost, seventh order of the doorway.
Associated objects
Bibliographic references
  • Williamson, Paul. Catalogue of Romanesque Sculpture. London: Victoria and Albert Museum, 1983. p.
  • Thurlby, Malcolm. Review of the Catalogue of Ronamesque Sculpture. RACAR. XII/I. 1985. pp. 74-75.
  • Williamson, Paul. Catalogue of Romanesque Sculpture. London: Victoria and Albert Museum, 1983. pp. 96-99.
  • Williamson, Paul. The West Doorway of the Temple Church in London. Burlington Magazine. CXXVII, 1985. p. 716.
  • Thurlby, Malcolm. Review of the Catalogue of Ronamesque Sculpture. RACAR. XII/I. 1985. pp. 74-75.
  • Gardam, C. L. M. Restorations of the Temple Church, London. In: Grant, Lindy, ed. Medieval Art, Architectire and Archeology in London. The British Archeological Association Conference Transactions for the Year 1984. Leeds: Manley and Son, 1990. pp. 104-105.
  • Kahn, Deborah. La sculpture romane en Angleterre : etat des questions. Bulletin monumental. 146, 1988. p. 340. n. 195.
  • Zarnecki, George. The West Doorway of the Temple Church in London. In: Becksmann, Rüdiger, ed. Beiträge zur Kunst des Mittelalters : Festschrift für Hans Wentzel zum 60. Geburtstag. Berlin: Mann, 1975. pp. 245-253.
  • Bottoms, Edward. The Royal Architectural Museum in the Light of New Documentary Evidence. Journal of the History of Collections. vol. 19, no. 1, 2007. pp. 120, 135-136. note. 66.
Collection
Sculpture Collection
Accession number
A.21-1916

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Record createdNovember 7, 2005
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O118259/voussoir-unknown/
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